Pete Buttigieg Says Federal No-Fly List is ‘on the table’ to Curb Violence on Planes

If you’ve watched the news in the U.S. over the past year, you’re probably aware of the increase in violence on planes. Not only have these violent acts been a threat to passenger safety, but it also signals frightening times for flight attendants. 

There have been at least 1,300 reported cases of violent or unruly passengers this year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). That number includes a recent American Airlines flight that was diverted when a flight attendant suffered broken bones, including in her face, after being assaulted by a passenger. Enforcing mask mandates and dealing with intoxicated passengers are the top causes for the increase in these types of confrontations.

Co-anchor of CNN’s State of the Union, Dana Bash, asked out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg if there should be a federal no-fly list for unruly passengers. Buttigieg thinks it’s an option that should be considered to ensure the safety of flight crews and passengers. 

“It is completely unacceptable to mistreat, abuse or even disrespect flight crews,” said Buttigieg. “These flight attendants have been on the front lines of the pandemic from day one,” he continued, “and they’re up there, as the announcement always says, for your safety. 

In response to the increase in violence, the FAA issued a “zero tolerance” policy after seeing a spike in passengers disrupting flights with threatening or violent behavior, and so far, has proposed more than $1 million in fines. 

Penalties are a deterrent, but more should be done to stop the outrageous behavior. “What we have seen on our planes is flight attendants being physically assaulted, pushed, choked,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union. “We have a passenger urinate. We had a passenger spit into the mouth of a child on board.”  

Currently, there is only an FBI-managed federal no-fly list, which is designed to prevent known and suspected terrorists from getting airline tickets and boarding flights. 

Sources: LGBTQ Nation and CNN